Correct. This is all based on my previous knowledge of my local monopoly agreements that someone told me about years ago. They refused for months to install internet until I asked people in my vicinity if anyone had asked for a phone line. Nobody had. So I did and instead of copper they ran fiber within 2 weeks.

I can only infer what happened but they really didn't want me to be without a regular phone line so I determined that was their legal weakness. The only way companies that large move like that is if something threatens their status with the local government. A call from a resident saying the company wouldn't install a phone line is a big no-no in my understanding.

In my area (Washington State, USA) this doesn't happen.

If you ask for phone service, Comcast will sell you a "landline" that just consists of a combo box cable modem and VoIP ATA. You can buy it with internet access or without, and they still give you the same equipment. The ATA part gives you an analog phone line to connect to your house phone wiring, but everything outside the house runs over existing coax infrastructure.

Maybe I'm not asking the right questions? It seems exceedingly difficult to get services over actual copper.

In Spain they use the 4g/5g infra for that and provide you with a 4g to RJ11 adapter